Tool for severing the flanges of channels



March 18, 1952 'r. M. PORTER 2,589,727

TOOL FOR SEVERING THE FLANGES OF CHANNELS Filed NOV. 21,; 1950 IN VENTOR THOMAS M. POI? TER a M Paw wvwam rrm Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES. PATEN OFFICE 'roon rofasnynhmo FLANGES F Thomas M. Porter,"Brookline,= Mass., assignor to I H. K. Porter, Inc.,-Somerville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 21, 1950; Serial No. 196,798

This invention relates to a tool for severing the flanges 'of-cl'iannels. The object is to provide -a'n "'eflicient hand tool whereby the two flanges thereafter the -'webof the channel may be bent,

broken or cut as desired.

My invention will be well understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a tool illustrative of the invention with the jaws closed;

Fig. 2' is a partial edge view thereof, as seen from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the head levers as seen from the opposite side from Fig. 1, with the jaws in open position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view showing the tool applied to a channel in position to effect a cut; and

Fig. 5.is an edge view showing the head of the tool applied to a channel (which appears partially broken away), this figure illustrating how a slanting cut is made.

My invention is herein shown as embodied in a tool of the multiple lever type embodying the principles disclosed in the patent to Lindsay 146,829, January 27, 1874, whereby in the present instance adequate power is obtained in a relatively small tool actuated by one hand. The tool shown comprises two head levers Iii-r and III-l which are substantially, although not literally, mirror images of each other, but otherwise duplicates. The letters I and r are expressive of left and right when viewing Fig. 1. In the description I shall sometimes use the numeral alone when what is being said applies to both levers: They have hub-like portions which overlap and receive the pivot pin l2 pivoting the two head levers together, and when so pivoted the distal 'en'ds of the levers provide cooperating jaws, hereinafter to be described in detail, and the proximal ends are tails providing for the application of force thereto as by means of the handles "-1 and HM pivoted to the jaw lever lines directlyopposite one an- 3 claims. (chaos-226) jtails on the pins l6,and themselves having short --=-arms pivoted'together at l8. flevers-lll' aLf'bf the uncrossed type an'cl* closi1i'g' Herein the head --i-hiovement of-the jaws occurs when the" lever ..;'tails (pivot pins l6) are pressed apart,'this'how .ever being effected by an approximation of the handles l4, resulting from a closing movement of the gripping hand. Thepoints-lli'are directly opposite each other. Herein the head lever- Ill-r 'i's fiat, whereas the head lever -I 0 1 is ofis'et, so

hat its hub portion which receives .the pivot l2 f-and thedistal jaw portions of the twohead'levers each a leading edge -1 and 20-1 respectively,

7-"! 0 4-0 may move over one another in the man:-

netar shear blades? The* jawportions of the-head levers l0, have which may extend substantially radially of the -pivot I 2 and, rearwardly thereof a slot, which x-defines an edge 22-1 and 22-r respectively,

parallel to the first edge, the slots when the tool is open as seen in Fig. 3 providing two open ended parallel throats at opposite sides of the leading edges of the jaws respectively, and corresponding to the respective slots. Into these throats the flanges of the channel 0 may be inserted as shown in Fig. 4. When the jaws swing to the closed position of Fig. 1 the leading edge of each levermoves in shearing relation past the edge provided by the rear wall of the slot on the other lever. Thus, referring to Fig. 3, the lever 10-? swings clockwise and the lever I D-Z counterclockwise, and the edge 20-? moves across the throat in lever Hi-l to cooperate with edge 22-! and the edge 20-1 will move across the lefthand t hroat,viewing the figure, to cooperate with edge In this movement the two flanges of the channel are severed.

It will be apparent from comparison of the Figs. 1 and 2, that the various edges here shown "are now bevelled, but are substantially straight While it would be possible to bevel at least some of these edges, it is desirable that certain at least should be flat and of substantial width to provide gaging surfaces on which a flange of the channel may rest as is illustrated by the upper flange of the channel C in Fig. 4,

to so position the channel that the cuts will both .be in one plane perpendicular to the flanges. The ends of the jaws are bevelled off as illustrated at 26 and best seen in Figs. 2 and 5. This 1'? permits the tool to be applied at an angle to the channel as shown in Fig. 5, the bevel at one side of the tool or the other, as the case may be, rest- 7 ing against the web of the channel with the cutting edges extending diagonally of the flanges.

tending to press the handles apart and open the jaws of the tool. A suitable latch 32 is provided which in the present embodiment of the invention serves to hold the jaws closed when the tool is not in use and also limits the opening move ment. For this purpose the latch, which is pivoted on one of the pivot pins li is provided with an angular slot receiving the end of the other. When the pin l5-TlS in the vertical part 34 of had to the appended claims to indicate those principles of the invention exemplified by the particular embodiment described and which I desire to secure by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. Atom for severing the flanges of channels comprising a pair of interpivoted head levers having tails providing for the application of force thereto and mutually overlapping distal jaws,

each jaw having a leading edge and, rearwardlv thereof a slot, the rear wall of which defines an edge parallel to the first edge, the slots when the tool is open providing two open-ended throats at opposite sides-0f the leading edges of the jaws respectivelvand corresponding to the respective slots,'in which throats the flanges of the channel are received to be severed by a movement of the jaws wherein the leading edge of each lever moves the slot, as shown in Fig. l, the jaws.= are held closed. When the latch is swu'rj i'g clockwise the jaws move open, the pin movingfin the generally horizontal portion 35 of the slotias illustrated in Fig. 4, the opening movement however-being limited when the pin reaches the lend of the slot. The arrangement is such; that the jaws are then in' the position shown in: Fig. 4 am Fig. 3, with the two throats unobstructed and 'ready' to receive the flanges of the channel. H I

lam aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes' thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects'as illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in several matters from the description itself; Reference is to be in shearing relation past the edge provided by the rear wall'fof the slot in'the other lever.

2..-A tool as defined in-claim 1 wherein the distal portions of the jaws are bevelled rearwardly and outwardly from-their meeting plane to permit their application to the web of the channel with the edgeslextending diagonally to the flang s tocut the latter across on a slant.

. 3. A tool as defined, in claim 1 wherein at least certainor the jaw-faces definingjthe throats are wide and [define a right angle with the adjacent cutting edges to provide gaging surfaces to so position the channel that the cuts will bothbe in one plane perpendicularto the flanges.

. .THOMAS- M. PORTER.

No references cited. 

